Salvatore Borsellino: “Ciancimino can help reveal the truth”

 

May 20^th, Palermo. “Why shouldn't I sit next to Massimo Ciancimino? He doesn't have the plague does he? I'm not interested in why he decided to speak with magistrates. I'm interested in what he's saying because it could help reveal the truth”. These are Salvatore Borsellino's words a few minutes before taking part in the presentation of 'Don Vito. A book written by Massimo Ciancimino and Francesco La Licata (journalist). Salvatore is judge Paolo Borsellino's brother. The magistrate killed in the massacre of D'Amelio street on July 19^th, 1992.

During the presentation Salvatore Borsellino strikes up a conversation with Ciancimino junior: “Why you decided to sit down and speak to magistrates is your business”. He then added: “When I stated that my brother had been killed because of the negotiation between the State and Cosa nostra everyone said I was crazy. Finally, today  someone else is saying the same things I've been stating for years. Perhaps now the truth will surface”.

Salvatore goes on and describes an informal meeting he had with Massimo Ciancimino one day last winter in front of a courthouse: “ When people saw us they made all sorts of comments. They crucified me. They went as far as saying that my behavior was an act of contempt toward a dead person. As if we had met in a monks' crypt! We were out in the open where everyone could see what was happening”. Salvatore then turns to Massimo Ciancimino and says: “I think you should limit yourself when you speak to journalists, because what you say could be interpreted the wrong way and used to give a distorted vision of reality”. He gives an example: “When you said that Berlusconi is a 'victim of the mafia you also added that he was surrounded by people who were close to the mafia world and that these characters held him in their fist. Newspapers, well, many newspapers thrived on the concept that Berlusconi was a 'victim of the mafia to rouse feelings of pity for him".

The presentation took place in the faculty of law at the University of Palermo. Giorgio Bongiovanni (editor of 'Antimafia 2000) and journalist Francesco La Licata also took part in the conference.

 

Published by: Adnkronos and Antimafiaduemila, May 20^th 2010

 

Salvatore Borsellino: “I would speak to Riina for the truth”

 

May 20^th, 2010 Palermo. “I'm not embarrassed to sit next to Massimo Ciancimino. I'm curious to hear what he's got to say. If he's going to help shed a light on the the massacres of 1992 I don't see why I shouldn't listen to him. After all, I would be willing to speak with Riina and Provenzano if meant getting to the bottom of the events which took place during those years”. This how Salvatore Borsellino, brother of the magistrate killed in D'Amelio street, explains his decision to take part in the presentation of a book about the mafioso, former mayor of Palermo Vito Ciancimino.

The volume is entitled 'Don Vito'. The author is Massimo Ciancimino, Vito's son. “Ciancimino – adds Salvatore – is like a justice collaborator and he's sharing elements which are useful to investigators. You see, I'm not trying to become friends with him: I want to ask him a few questions . I want to try and understand what motivated him to cooperate with magistrates”. “He's going to have to pay for his crimes – says Salvatore with regard to a sentence for having laundered Don Vito's money – but this has nothing to do with his revelations about the massacres of '92 and the negotiation”. Salvatore is critical about certain aspects of the book written by Massimo Ciancimino: “This kind of work shouldn't be published while inquiries are still open”. The judge's brother goes a little further and reprimands the pages which tend to romanticize the “normal” aspects of Don Vito's life. “He was a criminal – says Salvatore – and that's the only way he should be portrayed”. When asked about what he thought of the idea of making a movie on Vito Ciancimino's life Salvatore answered: “I don't care for tv films. I don't even watch the ones about my own brother. Never mind movies about Ciancimino”.

 

Published by: ANSA and Antimafiaduemila, May 20^th 2010

 

 

Salvatore Borsellino: “Embarrassed by forgetful politicians”

 

Palermo. “I could probably feel embarrassed if I were to sit next to certain politicians, people like former minister Martelli and Violante who happened to recall that a negotiation between the mafia and the State took place 17 years after my brother had died when Massimo Ciancimino began collaborating and revealing what he knew. No, I'm not embarrassed by Massimo at all. This is what Salvatore Borsellino's said during the presentation of Massimo Ciancimino's book 'Don Vito'. A volume on the life of the former mayor of Palermo Vito Ciancimino. “Or – Salvatore goes on – I could be embarrassed if I found myself beside the vice president of the Superior Council of Magistrates Mancino who still does not remember having met with my brother before the massacre”.

 

Published by: ANSA and Antimafiaduemila, May 20^th 2010

italian version

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